Seatbelt usage is on the rise in Alaska; this year 89.3 percent of Alaskans used seatbelts, higher than the national rate of 85 percent. Because of this positive trend, each year less people are dying on Alaska's roads due to not buckling up.

"Education efforts, coupled with enforcement, is helping to increase seatbelt usage," Cashen said. "In Alaska, the Bureau of Highway Patrol is actively ticketing people who are not wearing seatbelts."

According to Cashen the number of seatbelt citations issued by the Bureau of Highway Patrol has increased by 151 percent, from 205 citations in 2009 to 515 in 2010.

The Alaska Highway Safety Office is coordinated by the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities. For more information visit: www.dot.alaska.gov/ahso

The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities oversees 254 airports, 11 ferries serving 33 communities, 5,700 miles of highway and 660 public facilities throughout the state of Alaska. The mission of ADOT&PF is to "Get Alaska Moving through service and infrastructure."